Lily Collins to star in Evil Dead remake

The long-awaited Evil Dead remake is close to making its first piece of major casting, with the announcement that Mirror Mirror's Lily Collins is on the brink of signing on to star.Collins is in line to play a character named "Mia", who we understand is one of the five friends who decide to take an ill-advised trip to a remote cabin in the woods.As in the original film, the gang discovers a dusty tome known as The Necronomicon, from which reading a passage out loud results in all hell breaking loose, and various souls being swallowed.According to Bloody Disgusting, Mia has recently suffered a drug overdose and is looking forward to a weekend of detox at the cabin. Therefore, when she starts claiming to have been attacked by the trees outside, her friends just assume it's some sort of post-traumatic paranoia.We're not sure how well Collins' casting will go down with Evil Dead fans after the cutesy awfulness of the Mirror Mirror trailer, but then again, this is hardly a project that's been bathed in universal adoration from the get go...Directed by Fede Alvarez from a script co-written with Rodo Sayagues and Diablo Cody, The Evil Dead opens in the US on 12 April 2013.

Hugh Jackman on Broadway Means Cold Cash

NY (AP) Hugh Jackman leaves Broadway with many different damaged hearts and records.The hunky Australian actor's one-guy Broadway concert show closed on Sunday mid-day in the Broadhurst Theatre after getting gained $2,057,354 in the final week, the greatest weekly gross recorded through the Shubert Organization, which is the owner of the Broadhurst and 16 other Broadway theaters.Over its 10-week run, Jackman gained an astonishing $14,638,428, producers stated. Lucrative is the owner of 10 from the 11 top grossing days in the Broadhurst.Jackman, most widely known to be the hairy Wolverine in "The X-Males" franchise, routinely offered the 1,176-chair theater in most cases published weekly grosses of $1.5 million, frequently greater than rival musicals for example "Jersey Boys," ''Mama Mia!" ''How to achieve Business," ''Anything Goes" and "Follies."Only "Wicked" and "The Lion King," created by other organizations, consistently outdid Jackman. But individuals shows also had much greater expenses.The prior record in the Broadhurst occured through the Al Pacino-brought "The Merchant of Venice," which required in $1,175,750 captured. So far, the Shubert Organization's one-week greatest haul was "Billy Elliot," which gained $1,663,895 throughout an eight-show stretch this past year.Throughout the run, Jackman elevated an archive $1,789,580 for that charitable organisation Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Helps. The run "not just verifies him among the most bankable stars in Broadway's history but additionally like a fundraising event," producer Robert Fox stated.Backed by an 18-piece orchestra and six leggy ballroom dancers, a captivating Jackman anchored out about 24 musical theater tunes in "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway." It had been his third time around the Great Whitened Way, following "The Boy From Oz" in 2003 and also the play "A Stable Rain" with Difficulties last year.The show featured his understanding of tunes varying in the sexy R&B tune "Fever" to "Rock Island," from "The Background Music Guy" to some medley of classic movie tunes for example "Singin' while it is rainingInch and "Luck Be considered a Lady." The typical ticket went for $160, with top rates opting for $350.A few of the highlights incorporated the eight-minute "Soliloquy" in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Slide carousel," and an accumulation of tunes from Jackman's Tony Award-winning submit "The Boy From Oz" while putting on Peter Allen-inspired matching gold lame pants and jacket, and gold footwear.Jackman's other stage credits include Australian productions of "Sunset Boulevard" and "Beauty and also the Animal." Working In London he starred as Curly in Trevor Nunn's staging of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" The coming year, he intends to star inside a version from the musical "L'ensemble des Miserables."Copyright 2012 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Academy Awards 2012: Oscar Ballot Revealed

For those of you who have always wanted to be an Oscar voter ("Yes, 'Breaking Dawn' should win Best Adapted Screenplay!"), here's something that might pique your interest: a glimpse at the official Academy Awards ballot for Best Picture. The editors over at GoldDerby.com got their hands on the precious piece of paper that will rule Hollywood during the next two months, along with the instructions on how to fill it out. The nitty-gritty: When you have reviewed the Reminder List, please write the title of your first choice on the first line of this ballot and list your alternate choices on the succeeding lines in order of your preference. Do not list the same title more than once; multiple votes for the same picture do not enhance its chances. The pictures receiving the highest number of votes shall become the nominees for final voting for the Best Picture award. There may not be more than ten nor fewer than five nominations; however, no picture shall be nominated that receives less than five percent of the total votes cast. The preferential system of tabulation is used in nominations voting. You are voting essentially for one achievement, and the preferential system insures that your vote will be cast -- in order of your listed preferences -- for the candidate for whom it can do the most good. (If, for example, the achievement on the top line of your ballot receives almost no support from other votes, you have not "wasted" your vote. The system moves on and casts your vote for your second listed achievement, and so on.) You need not fill in all five lines. The more preferences you indicate, however, the greater the certainty that your ballot will influence the Best Picture nominees list. Check out an image of the ballot below; head over to GoldDerby.com to read the full letter from Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences president Tom Sherak. Ballots are due on Jan. 13, 2012. [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Keck's Exclusives: NBC Announces All-Star Fall Into Line For Betty White's 90th Birthday Party

Betty Whitened 90 years is really a large deal, and NBC has arranged a remarkable roster of talent to assist America's sweetheart, Betty Whitened, celebrate her special milestone. One of the famous faces who definitely are attending in the historic Biltmore Hotel in downtown La for that tape: Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, William Shatner and Hugh Jackman, plus current people from the NBC family including Jay Leno, Amy Poehler and Joel McHale. Betty's former co-stars in the Mary Tyler Moore Show may also be available, with Erectile dysfunction Asner, Valerie Harper and Gavin MacLeod all RSVPing yes. (One glaring omission: MTM Show alum Cloris Leachman.) Also search for a unique tribute from Betty's current TV Land family, Hot in Cleveland ladies Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves. Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl will air Monday, The month of january 16 (8/9c) on NBC, then a sneak preview of Betty's all-new hidden-camera reality series Betty White's Off Their Rockers. The special includes musical performances and surprise looks, with Whitened using the stage toshare some reminiscences and provide because of individuals who've arrived at recognition her. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now! Per NBC, Cloris Leachman was indeed asked to Betty's gala, even though Cloris greatly desired to participate, an earlier commitment prevents her attendance.

Promote named chairman of Verve Music

Veteran producer and music professional David Promote continues to be named chairman of Universal Music Group's Verve Group. Located in L.A., Promote will are accountable to UMG chairman-Boss Lucian Grainge. Promote will mind creative procedures from the unit, having a concentrate on signing new talent and developing Verve's roster of adult and pop functions. Verve's creative team includes senior VPs of the&R Jay Landers and Jaymes Promote, producer-engineer Jochem van der Saag and Vice president of the&R Dahlia Ambach Caplin. A 16-time Grammy champion, three-time Oscar nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe honoree, Promote has labored like a producer, songwriter and arranger with Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Cher, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, among many more. Among his productions may be the top-selling soundtrack for "The Bodyguard." He formerly operated Warner Bros.' boutique imprint 143 Records, where he signed the Corrs. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Mt. Olympus isn't for redheads

William H. Macy, Dax Shepard, Matthew Morrison and Kristen Bell fundraise for UNICEF .Sean Penn honours Mike Medavoy .Changed right into a romantic winter wonderland, the Beverly Wilshire was the website from the UNICEF ball Thursday evening.In the introduction of Irena, Nick and Mike Medavoy, Sean Penn known as out a couple of of his fellow presenters."I only say this each time I arrived at this stuff, however the timing is a touch bassackwards," Penn stated of providing honours, "simply because they should do this stuff before they serve the alcohol. However in this situation Personally i think liberated because Dennis Quaid and Brooklyn Decker is going to be up here soon and they are sauced."Mike Medavoy shared his excitement at finding the Danny Kaye Award. "He was much like me, a redhead," he started. "For all of us, this group, unless of course you are residing in Ireland or unless of course you realize Greek history by which redheads were tossed from Mt. Olympus once they were born, is really a select few.InchLionel Richie carried out for any crowd that incorporated Quincy Johnson, Megan Mullally, Kate Walsh, Matthew Morrison, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

It's the perfect time for brand new deals

Even Wall Street might have an excessive amount of a positive thing. Traders are pleading large media to prevent using mountain tops of money to purchase back stock and rather outside, hurry up and perform some deals -- otherwise pay bigger returns. Time Warner has obliged, investing in another bid for Nederlander TV giant Endemol on Monday, this time around all in cash following the first mixed cash-and-stock offer was declined. There has been only two major deals this season: News Corp.'s purchase of Shine Group and Scripps' acquisition of UKTV. However the five greatest media companies -- TW, News Corp., Wally Disney, Viacom and CBS -- will buy $15.5 billion worth that belongs to them shares in fiscal 2012, predicted Evercore Partners' Alan Gould. That's up from an believed $12.5 billion this season and reps a significant chunk from the combined companies' circa $200 billion in market capital. Management buys up stock when company honchos think it's cheap or underrated. When the shares have previously rallied, if they are overvalued or heading lower, that isn't so great. Repurchases assume "CEOs are superior to other people" at knowing in which the stocks are heading, Gould stated. Buybacks, actually, "have the possibility to eliminate investor value if shares are bought above intrinsic value, the best risk poor an uncertain macro atmosphere," authored Anthony DiClemente of Barclays Capital inside a note to clients. The U.S. economy continues to be shaky, battered by worries in Europe and both at home and with little visibility to promote or anything else. DiClemente wants media congloms to create proper purchases -- of worldwide assets particularly. Companies get access to cheap financing, the dollar gets more powerful, and purchasing new assets could boost sluggish revenue growth. "It's really no secret the media sector includes a dubious record if this involves M&A," DiClemente acknowledged. However the disastrous America online-Time Warner, Viacom-CBS and Vivendi-Universal deals happened about ten years ago. The analyst stated you're ready to get in the overall game. Repurchasing stock reduces the amount of shares outstanding and boosts earnings per share. DiClemente noted that management compensation may also be associated with earnings per share. Also, since traders generally like stock buybacks, a company's share cost usually increases when the first is introduced. This is a boon for executives who hold plenty of investment. Media investor Chris Dixon stated a course of standard stock buybacks that monitors the marketplace and may begin to make the most of dips may be beneficial. However it turns into a problem when they're "used as excuse because of not following through when companies are reluctant to purchase new endeavors." If there is nothing around to purchase, congloms could purchase their current companies. "That 'there's money around and little else related to it'" is not a great motivation for purchasing back stock, Dixon stated. Another primary method to return cash to stockholders is thru returns, which are not "accretive" to earnings per share but do give traders back some money regularly. Experts today would rather dividend hikes to more buybacks. Most media companies also have elevated their returns. But buybacks have faster a lot more rapidly. DiClemente noted that last year, returns composed 67% of total capital returns, however in 2011, only an believed 15% is going to be from returns -- versus. 85% from share repurchases. Returns can leave management with less versatility, however. When you raise a payout it's difficult to work without traders creating a stink and also the stock going for a hit. Viacom Boss Philippe Dauman stated a week ago in a media conference that Viacom would return $20 billion to investors within the next 5 years -- a mixture of buybacks and dividend obligations he did not bust out. DiClemente figures Viacom may have bought back 11% of their market cap in 2012, in the top end from the group. Under its existing program, it's approved to purchase back around 28%. Share buyback programs, which construct the quantity of stock management is approved to buy on the with time, are approved with a company's board of company directors. Disney acquired $5 billion price of stock in fiscal 2011. CBS a week ago introduced one more $1.5 billion buyback on the top of their ongoing program to which it acquired $850 million in shares this season by Sept. 30. News Corp. is purchasing back $5 billion -- a few of the cash that's a slave to following the conglom threw in the towel its bid for BSkyB. Time Warner, that has the greatest dividend yield within the group, acquired $3.7 billion available this season with the finish of October within $5 billion program. Time Warner Cable introduced a $4 billion shares repurchase recently. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com